Apparatus for building a hollow core structure



Dec. 21, 1965 D; B. CHESKIN' 3,224,065

APPARATUS FOR BUILDING A HOLLOW CORE STRUCTURE Filed April 22, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Figure a b3. 56 g 6/ /5/ K s I i F gure 6 [3 INVE/VTO/i:

David B. Ghes/r/n flga/ A TTOR/VEY Dec. 21, 1965 Filed April 22, 1965 D. B. CHESKIN 3,224,065

APPARATUS FOR BUILDING A HOLLOW CORE STRUCTURE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 34 1 F/gure 2 h ,1 32

O 4 3 /29 F I g are 3 *r i 65/ 54 'G0/umn Raised 7'0 Upper Level 5 Q 0f Wall To Be Poured.

Height Of New Wall Sec/ion 23 i //V l/E/V TOR: David B. Ohesk/n ATTORNEY Dec. 21, 1965 D. B. CHESKIN 3,224,065

APPARATUS FOR BUILDING A HOLLOW CORE STRUCTURE Filed April 22, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Figure 5 Z i i Figure 4 //V VE/V TOR: David B. Ohes/r/n A TT'OR/VEY United States Patent 3,224,065 APPARATUS FOR BUILDING A HOLLOW CORE STRUCTURE David B. Cheskin, 407 S. Dearborn, Chicago, Ill. Filed Apr. 22, 1965, Ser. No. 453,543 2 Claims. (Cl. 25131) This invention relates to an apparatus for building a wall or a hollow core structure and particularly to a system which utilizes a special presprung form and lifting apparatus for incrementally placing wall sections of reinforced concrete.

The use of usual tied forms or demountable types of forms for wall construction work involves a considerable amount of labor and slow scaffolding erection. It is therefore a distinct advantage to have a special form which readily carries a working platform and is placed by simple clamping means to a previously placed section.

Also, in one desirable form of present day building construction a hollow core structural unit is utilized as a central columnar section to support encompassing platforms or floor sections. Alternatively, hollow core units may be used in pairs or multiple groupings to in turn support transverse floor sections spanning between them. However, the use of conventional concrete formwork, scaffolding and platforms, is inefficient and results in an expensive and slow construction. It is thus an object of the present invention to provide an improved form of apparatus for constructing a continuous vertical reinforced concrete wall or tower. It is also an object of the present invention to provide for the integration of a working platform which may be attached to the special form and be incrementally lifted therewith.

In one embodiment, the present invention provides an apparatus for incrementally constructing a continuous vertically elongated form of reinforced concrete wall, c0lumn, or a hollow core tower, which comprises in combination, a substantially open-topped presprung form section having opposing spaced wall portions and spaced clamping means along the lower portions thereof, each of such clamping means including a removable tubular support-spacer member positioned interiorly between the lower Wall portions of the form section and adapted to being left in place after a concrete wall section has been poured thereover, spaced lifting yoke means formed of spring steel and having depending leg portions connective with said opposing wall portions of said form section urging the latter into a normally spread position, working platform means suspended from at least one wall portion of the form section, locking-guide means along at least one edge portion of said platform means, said locking-guide means adapted to frictionally engage with the previously poured wall section below the lower edge of the form section, and demountable lifting means connective with each of said yoke means, with said lifting means having base support means sized and adapted to rest upon the top surface of each of the superimposed concrete wall sections being formed and operable to effect the incremental lifting of said form section in stages to successively higher elevations whereby the lower edge portion of said form section may be clamped by said clamping means along the upper edge of the previously poured concrete wall section to provide for the placement of the next higher concrete wall section.

Form sections may be used singly or in-line groups to construct a straight high rise wall section or a plurality of adjacent sections may be arranged in a continuous ring-like shape. In other words, the form may be seetionalized to provide adjacent sections that are linked or merely placed successively adjacent one another to provide a circular, rectangular, octagonal, or other geometice rical shape to suit the desired form of hollow core structure being erected. Preferably, the wall sections of the form have spaced yoke members or other cross-over sections which are attached to the opposing side wall portions which will provide upper tie members and lifting means. The improved form sections also have spaced spring steel members, which may be coextensive with the yoke members and are effective for spreading or springing apart at least the lower portions of the walls when they are unclamped from a poured wall section. In the erection of a straight wall section, platforms can be attached to one or both sides of the form; however, in the erection of a hollow core structure, all of the working platform or working area is preferably from the inside of the structure, and it is very desirable from the labor saving point of view to provide means precluding the necessity for having outside scaffording or hanging platforms. Thus, having a form section which will automatically release itself from a poured concrete wall and will obviate the prying or breaking loose of an outside wall portion of the form is of a particular advantage.

Various types of clamping means may be utilized in combination with the opposing wall portions of the form; however, a preferable clamping arrangement utilizes an L-shaped or T-shaped end on a threaded rod, with the L or T portion sized to pass through a slot and be turned to hold against the outer face of one wall portion of the form. A nut on the threaded end of the rod can be used to tighten the wall portions into place and permit the clamping operation to be carried out from the inside Wall of the form section such that again the necessity for being on the outside of the form section is obviated. Also, the preferred clamping arrangement uses short hollow pipe or tube sections to provide suitable interior support-spacer sections between the opposing walls of the form to accommodate the removable type of clamp ing bolts. Such spacer tubes may be left in place as incremental tiers of the poured structure are placed.

Still another feature of an apparatus embodiment of the present improved invention is the direct attachment and use of a suspended platform or pairs of platforms,

which attach to the wall portions of the form section and can be lifted incrementally as the form section is jacked upwardly from one tier section to a next higher level. With hollow core structures, there is used an interior platform which is suspended from the adjacent form sections of a unit.

Various forms of lifting and jacking means may be utilized to effect the incremental lifting and repositioning of the form sections; however, a preferable type embodies a column supported jacking means such that the base of the various jacking means may be supported from the top hardened surface of a poured wall section. The jacking means are spaced along a wall or around the periphery of a hollow core structure such that the form sections, or arrangement of sections, may be uniformly lifted from one level to the next higher level. The capacity of each lifting means, or the number and spacing of column supported lifting means will, of course, vary in accordance with the size of the form and the extent of the periphery of the hollow core structure being constructed. In other Words, the size and lifting capacity of a jacking means used in combination with a form section which is being used for pouring thick wall sections of say 18 inches or more in thickness is necessarily heavier than equipment lifting a lightweight form section being used to pour relatively thin wall sections of 6 or 8 inches in thickness.

The improved method of construction, as well as the improved apparatus arrangement embodied in the present invention, will be more apparent upon reference to the accompanying drawings and the following description thereof.

FIGURE 1 of the drawing is a diagrammatic sectional elevational view of one embodiment of improved spreading form with attached platforms and removable clamping means.

FIGURE 2 of the drawing is a diagrammatic sectional elevational view of a rectangular hollow core structure being erected with adjacent presprung form sections and spaced lifting apparatus units adapted to rest on the upper surface of hardened poured sections.

FIGURE 3 of the drawing is an enlarged sectional view through a form section indicating bolt means for clamping such section to the top edge of a previously poured wall section.

FIGURE 4 of the drawing shows another enlarged sectional view through the form section of FIGURE 2, together with a portion of the working platform, where such form is still in place with a hardened concrete wall section and a superimposed column for lifting apparatus. There is also shown a guide and safety support means for the interior work platform.

FIGURE 5 shows diagrammatically and in a partial plan view, the form section and a connecting interior working platform, in accordance with section line 55 as shown in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 6 shows a modified form section with built-in jacking means for raising the lifting apparatus which is in turn used to lift the form sections to a new level after a poured wall section has set.

FIGURE 7 of the drawing shows a sectional view wherein the opposing walls of the form section are in a presprung position prior to clamping and placement onto the top edge of a previously poured wall section.

Referring now specifically to FIGURE 1 of the drawing, there is shown the upper edge portion of a wall section 1 which has been previously poured and now hardened. A hinged form section is clamped tightly and supported from the top of the wall section 1, with opposing inner wall section 2 of oiled wood or other suitable material being used to form the poured concrete. Outer wall sections 3 and stiffener rib members 4 in turn hold and back-up the inner faces 2. The opposing wall portions are joined through vertical rib members 4, bolts 5 and cross bar members 6, such that the elongated form is lifted and handled in effect from yoke-like means. Spaced lifting rods '7, on each side of a lifting column 8 may be attached to the cross bars 6, by bolts 15, to effect lifting of the form, as will subsequently be more specifically described in connection with FIGURES 2 and 3 of the drawing.

Spaced across the top edge of wall 1 are tubular spacersupport members 9 which are left in place after concrete is poured on top of them and are adapted to encase threaded clamping bolts 10. The latter has an L-shaped end 11 opposite a threaded end and nut 12 such that there may be a tightening of the lower ends of the opposing wall portions against the top of wall 1. The L- shaped ends 11 are sized to pass through the tube support members 9, as well as through suitable slotted openings in wall sections 2 and 3, and be turned 90 to hook over the face of the outer wall member 3. After a new upper concrete wall tier is placed and set, then nuts 12 on bolt members 11 may be unloosened and the bolts removed from the spacers 9 to permit the opposing wall portions of the form section to be pulled back from the faces of the new wall section 1. In accordance with a preferred construction, spring means is used to effect assistance in urging the opposing wall sections 2 from the concrete, such as for example, a compression spring 13 held in place between socket members 14 at the top of opposing wall sections 3.

The improved presprung movable form section is also adapted to carry working platforms, which in this embodi- Inent comprises opposing side platforms 16 attached by gusset plates 17 or other suitable connection means.

Referring now particularly to FIGURES 2, 3, 4 and 5, there is shown form means to erect a hollow core structure having an upper poured wall section 21, a previously poured wall section 21, and still earlier poured wall section 21". Adjacent presprung form sections 22 have inner wall portions 23 and outer wall portions 24. The opposing wall portions are connected by spaced yoke members 25 which also serve in a dual capacity in that they provide for the attachment of lifting rods 34 to effect the incremental repositionings of the form. Still further, the yokes 25 may be formed of spring steel such that the depending ends, which connect to and extend downwardly along the outsides of walls 23 and 24, will serve to spring apart such walls when released. In a rectangular form of hol low core structure, the adjacent wall portions of the form sections around the inner periphery, as well as around the outer periphery, are necessarily mitered and slightly sep arated at the corners so that they may move and spring apart for raising and repositioning as clamping means are released at their lower edges. In a cylindrical form sec tion there may be a continuous upper ring portion and spaced vertical slits which permit the inner and outer walls to similarly spring away from the poured wall section when clamping means are released. As best shown in FIGURE 2 of the drawing, the form section is provided with removable threaded bolts 26 to engage nuts 27. Such bolts, together with interior hollow pipe spacer-support means 28 provide means clamping the lower edge portions of the walls 23 and 24 to the upper edge of a concrete wall section 21'.

The present embodiment indicates wall sections 23 and 24 as having inner wood linings 23 and 24', respectively. The nuts 27 on the exterior wall portions of the forms may be welded or otherwise fixedly attached to the outside wall portions 24 such that the bolts 26 may be threadedly engaged with nuts 27, through the spacers 28, from the inside of the form section. In each case, it may be noted that the spacer sections 28 become embedded in the concrete wall as each section of the wall is poured into place. Also, as may be seen in the drawings, spacers 28 that are clamped into place on the top of the concrete wall serve to support the weight of the form sections from the top edge of such previously poured wall sections. Thus, after the positioning of the form sections to a new raised level by the lifting units, then support columns 29 and base plates 30 are then lifted to a new upper level such that the bottom of such base plates 30 will be at least above an elevation to which the upper extremity of the new wall section will be poured so as to not interfere with the pouring of the concrete into the form section and the leveling of the top surface thereof.

A separate tripod supported winch or other lifting means may be used to lift the columns 29 and the jacking apparatus which "they support. Alternatively, built-in jacking means, as will be hereinafter described in connection with FIGURE 6, may provide for the raising of the lifting apparatus incorporated with column 29.

FIGURE 2 of the drawing indicates diagrammatically the use of a plurality of supporting columns 29 which in turn support lower support bases 31, jacking means 32 and upper support bases 33 which in turn engage the upper extremities of notched bars or rods 34. The lifting apparatus may be of the type disclosed in Cheskin Patent No. 3,028,144, issued April 3, 1962, or alternatively of the type disclosed in the companion Patent No. 3,028,143, issued April 3, 1962. Such apparatus is particularly adapted to raise heavy loadings in an incremental manner from supporting columns.

Referring now particularly to FIGURES 2 and 4, there is also indicated a means for supporting and lifting an internal working platform 35 from the interior wall portion 23 of the form section. The platform 35 is indicated as having a grid of supporting channels 36 and spaced hanger rods 37 that are connected by suitable bolt means 38 to the lower end portions of the wall sections 23 and by bolt means 39 to lugs 40 on the top of platform 35. Also, as best shown in FIGURES 2 and 4, there is indicated a safety guide and supporting device for engaging with the previously poured wall sections 21' to steady the platform 35 at each tier level. The present embodiment shows a notched wheel 41 connecting by a bolt or axle pin 42 with support members 43 which in turn attach to a pivoted level arm 44. The arm 44 pivots on a pin or bolt 45 at an intermediate point connective with the platform, while the upper end has a pivoted connection with lateral rod or bar 46. The latter has a pivoting connection with an adjustment handle 47 that has pawl means 48 to engage a notched arcuate member 49 at the center of the platform 35. A similar notched wheel 41' is held and moved in an opposite hand arrangement on the opposing side of the platform, with handle 47' operative to move the wheel 41 by pivoted bars 44 and 46'. When it is desired to raise platform 35, the lever arms 47 and 47' are moved so as to partially retract wheel members 41 and 41' from the inside surfaces of the walls 21, and then, as the platform reaches a new level, the lever arms 47 and 47' may be retightened to again urge the wheels 41 and 41' tightly against the new upper concrete wall sections. The linkage and adjustment handle means using pawls are merely one method of guiding the inner working platform; however, other means may be used in combination with the improved form and with other types of pronged =or toothed locking members to serve as a guide and as a safety holding means to preclude the downward fall of the interior working platform, should there be a failure of any one or more of the hanger bars 37 or a temporary loss of support of the form sections as they are being raised to a new level.

FIGURE 4 of the drawing also indicates in a diagrammatic manner the position of the form section and of the lower end of lifting apparatus column 29, together with lifting rods 34, after the placing of a last poured tier or wall section 21. Thus, in the next step of the improved method of erection, the bolt member 26 is disengaged from the nut 27 and from the spacer section 28 such that the wall portions 23 and 24 may be loosened from the concrete wall section. The lifting apparatus on the various support columns 29 may then be brought into operation, using the jacking means 42 to incrementally move each upper support platform 33 with respect to each platform 31 and raise the lifting rods 34 connecting with the form section 22. The lifting operations should, of course, be carried out in a uniform manner such that all lifting platforms operate substantially together to raise the form section uniformly away from the upper concrete section 21 to its new elevation.

The outward springing of the walls 23 and 24, prior to clamping, is best shown in FIGURE 7 of the drawing, being ready for clamping into place with new spacer members 28 to the upper edge of a previously poured wall section. In the next successive operation, the lower end portions of the form section are clamped together on the wall sections 21, as best shown in FIGURE 3 of the drawing. Various means may be provided for attaching the lifting rods 34 to the horizontal portions of yoke member 25; however, the present embodiment makes use of threaded stub ends 64 and nuts 65 below slotted openings 66 in yoke members 25.

As indicated hereinbefore, the number of lifting devices and the spacing of lifting yokes around the upper open top end of the form sections depends upon the size and weight of the particular form section. In other words, the particular number of lifting devices and yokes shown in FIGURES 2 and 5 of the drawing is not limiting and there may be a greater or lesser number of lifting devices utilized to effect the incremental jacking and lifting of the form section to its new positions. Although not shown in the drawing, there may also be utilized guide wire or lateral braces between the upper extremities of the opposing columns 29 such that there is some degree of lateral stability provided for the columns to work in combination with the supporting base plates 30 that are adapted to rest on the upper surface of each newly poured wall section. Anchor bolts may be utilized in combination with the base plates 30, with such anchor bolts being placed at the proper positions in alignment with each plate 30 and column 29 before the concrete is hardened. For example, anchor bolts 63, as shown in FIGURE 3, may be suspended from the base plate 30 to be embedded in the concrete to be poured in the form section.

Rather than utilize separate winch means to in turn lift the columns and their superimposed lifting apparatus, there may be integrated jacking means spaced along the top of each form section. For example, as best shown in FIGURE 6 of the drawing, there is indicated diagrammatically a presprung type of form section having a spring steel yoke 50 holding wall portions 51 and 52 which are clamped to a previously poured tier 53 by L-bolts 54 through support tubes 55. The upper end of yoke 50 has a column guide 56 and a pivotally connected jack arm 57 with a lifting end piece 58 that is adapted to repeatedly engage with a toothed rack 59 provided vertically along one edge of a special support column 60. A movable pawl 61 works in cooperation with jacking arm 57 and lifting point 58 to provide a typical jack means precludin downward movement of the toothed section during a lifting operation. After columns 60, with their base plates 62, are raised to the predetermined new level, then the jacking is stopped and the form is ready to again receive concrete.

Suitable reinforcing bars between successive wall sections or tiers may, of course, be utilized to provide continunity within a wall or walls of a hollow core structure; however, for purposes of simplifying the drawing no reinforcing has been indicated therein.

I claim as my invention:

1. Apparatus for incrementally constructing a continuous vertically elongated reinforced concrete hollow core structure, which comprises in combination, a sectionalized substantially open-topped form section having opposing spaced wall portions which may be sprung apart and for forming concrete wall sections, and with peripherally adjacent sections of said form section effecting a ring-like form for the pouring of concrete in a continuous wall section, opposing spaced small openings along the lower edge portions of said wall portions adapted to accommodate removable bolt members, removable tubular supportspacer members of a length equivalent to the thickness of said wall sections and sized to encompass said removable bolt members, vertically spaced wall slots between adjacent sections of said form section providing sectionalized wall portions therefor and permitting the springing apart of the wall portions upon the release of said bolt means as clamping means at the lower end of said form section, working platform means extending between sectionalized wall portions of said form section and suspended therefrom such that as said form section is incrementally elevated there is a lifting of said platform means, lockingguide means projectable from at least one pair of opposing edge portions of said platform means, lever arm operated support means connecting with said guide wheel means whereby to maintain the latter in contact with previously poured concrete wall sections below the edge of said platform means and said form section, spaced lifting yoke means from the upper end of said form section, spaced lifting rod means from the upper end of said yoke means from said open-topped form section and demountable lifting means connective with each of said yoke means, with said lifting means being column supported and having column base support means sized and adapted to rest on the top surface of the superimposed concrete wall sections being formed to effect the incremental lifting of said form section and said connecting platform means.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further characterized in that each of said spaced yoke means is formed of spring steel and has depending leg portions connective with the opposing wall portions of said form section to maintain a 3,224,065 7 normally presprung partially spread relationship between 2,498,325 said Wall portions. 2,728,970

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 822 71,791 12/1867 Robinson 182146 202,847 662,266 11/1900 I-Iaglin 249144 850,120 4/1907 Anthony 25131 8 2/1950 Zemanek et a1. 25-131 1/1956 Zoerb 249120 FOREIGN PATENTS 3/1865 Great Britain. 8/1956 Australia.

I. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR INCREMENTALLY CONSTRUCTING A CONTINUOUS VERTICALLY ELONGATED REINFORCED CONCRETE HOLLOW CORE STRUCTURE, WHICH COMPRISES IN COMBINATION, A SECTIONALIZED SUBSTANTIALLY OPEN-TOPPED FORM SECTION HAVING OPPOSED SPACED WALL PORTIONS WHICH MAY BE SPRUNG APART AND FOR FORMING CONCRETE WALL SECTIONS, AND WITH PERIPHERALLY ADJACENT SECTIONS OF SAID FORM SECTION EFFECTING A RING-LIKE FORM FOR THE POURING OF CONCRETE IN A CONTINUOUS WALL SECTION, OPPOSING SPACED SMALL OPENINGS ALONG THE LOWER EDGE PORTIONS OF SAID WALL PORTIONS ADAPTED TO ACCOMMODATE REMOVABLE BOLT MEMBERS, REMOVABLE TUBULAR SUPPORTSPACER MEMBERS OF A LENGTH EQUIVALENT TO THE THICKNESS OF SAID WALL SECTIONS AND SIZED TO ENCOMPASS SAID REMOVABLE BOLT MEMBERS, VERTICALLY SPACED WALL SLOTS BETWEEN ADJACENT SECTIONS OF SAID FORM SECTION PROVIDING SECTIONALIZED WALL PORTIONS THEREFOR AND PERMITTING THE SPRINGING APART OF THE WALL PORTIONS UPON THE RELEASE OF SAID BOLT MEANS AS CLAMPING MEANS AT THE LOWER END OF SAID FORM SECTION, WORKING PLATFORM MEANS EXTENDING BETWEEN SECTIONALIZED WALL PORTIONS OF SAID FORM SECTON AND SUSPENDED THEREFROM SUCH THAT AS SAID FORM SECTION IS NCREMENTALLY ELEVATED THEREI S A LIFTING OF SAID PLATFORM MEANS, LOCKINGGUIDE MEANS PROJECTABLE FROM AT LEAST ONE PAIR OF OPPOSING EDGE PORTIONS OF SAID PLATFORM MEANS, LEVER ARM OPERATED 